August 2, 2012

Book Review: In a Perfect World by Laura Kasischke

The book started out awful, I had to try so hard to keep reading. I would start and stop so many times. Nothing about it was calling me. Jiselle marries a handsome pilot. Blah blah blah. He is always gone. All the ladies love him. He has 3 children from a wife who died, named Joy. He urges Jiselle, a flight attendant, to stay at home with the children, so she does.

Meanwhile, there is a Phoenix flu going around and is killing people. Jiselle's husband gets detained outside of the country and isn't allowed to come back for fear of the flu spreading. Jiselle is left to care for the kids, who treat her like dirt, besides the sweet young boy Sam.

It started getting good for me well into the book, like about half way into the book. I don't know how I made it that far, but I'm glad I kept reading. Jiselle has to take care of her new stepchildren while her husband is away, and with that comes many challenges and discoveries. With the threat of the Phoenix flu, loss of electricity and power, shut-down stores, lack of food and water, and deaths around them, there actually seems to be an interesting plot developing. Too bad it took so long!

This cheesy love story turns into one about family, survival, love for children, and resilience. There isn't a definite resolution at the end of the book, but things are starting to look up for Jiselle and her new family.

I wouldn't say this is the best book I've ever read, or even close to it. But it definitely gets better. If you can force yourself to get through the first 100+ pages, I think you'll be glad you read it. It wasn't life-changing or anything for me. And there weren't any quotes that really stuck out to me. But a decent read.